This wasn't a matter of joining the Buddhist sect; it was more like forming a cooperative relationship. Regardless, Su Min needed to think it over carefully.
As for the little monk's intentions, they were clear: he sought to borrow her rising fame to extend Buddhism's reach across this land. Constrained as he was, unable to interfere freely with worldly affairs, he needed a vessel. And now, he had found her.
"What do I gain from this?"
Su Min smiled, her tone light as a spring breeze, but her meaning sharp as a blade. Just like in Journey to the West, when the Buddha helped Sun Wukong defeat the Azure Bull Demon by using thirteen golden elixirs, whatever those elixirs were, they all returned to Laozi in the end. Su Min saw no point in wasting words, so she asked directly for the benefits.
"I can impart to you the Samsara Reincarnation Art," offered the monk solemnly.
"No need. I trust only in the body I was born with." Su Min rejected the offer without hesitation. She possessed endless longevity. She could endure any period of stagnation; what need had she for reincarnation to extend it? Besides, after reincarnation, who could say if one's self remained intact?
"Amitābha..."
Seeing Su Min refuse so firmly, the little monk showed a trace of surprise. He hadn't expected Su Min to turn him down so directly. After all, in the current world where spiritual energy was scarce, reaching the Golden Core stage was already a feat. Yet the lifespan of someone at that stage was only about five hundred years.
Advancing further required another three centuries, a period so precious that missing it could mean remaining stuck at the Golden Core stage forever, never stepping into the Nascent Soul realm. Though the Art of Reincarnation came with obscure side effects, it was still considered a convenient inheritance method.
"Since you know so much, Benefactor," the monk said at last, "then speak your wish plainly. This humble monk shall offer a technique in exchange."
Su Min chuckled softly. The Art of Reincarnation, though precious to others whose lifespans were limited, meant little to her. She had time enough to weather any stagnation. What she needed now was power.
There was one Buddhist scripture she had coveted from the beginning, essential, timeless, and irreplaceable. And since she still had one empty slot for a mental technique at her current Qi Refining stage, the timing was perfect.
"I want the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra," she said, enunciating each word slowly and clearly.
The little monk inhaled sharply. He hadn't expected Su Min's appetite to be so great, asking outright for the core scripture of Buddhism.
As the saying goes, "Children make choices; adults take it all."
In the path of immortality, cultivating both Buddhist and Daoist methods together was considered optimal. Although Su Min had only encountered Buddhism for now, and hadn't yet touched Daoism, it was inevitable that she would.
Moreover, what the Heavenly Dao Insight granted were mostly innate divine abilities—the two techniques given were already its limit.
"Benefactor... According to the precepts of our order, this sutra is reserved for those of high standing."
"And do I not qualify, Master?" Su Min's smile deepened. "Surely your Buddhism has glimpsed a corner of the future? You lingered long in that village... you must have seen something."
"Amitābha..."The monk closed his eyes, chanting softly.
"Amitābha. You are correct—Child of Destiny. In that case, this humble monk shall pass this sutra to you."
He had not seen the full weave of fate, only the birth of a new star, brilliant and unstoppable. Guided by faint omens, he had sought her out. Saving all beings remained his purpose, but drawing her closer to Buddhism did not go against it.
Moreover, when he arrived, he sensed a unique incense aura surrounding Su Min, the mark of one who was worshiped. He understood immediately that she was destined. Buddhism, too, knew when to forge ties that could last a thousand years.
As for the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra, though it was the crown jewel of their teachings, it mattered little. The scripture thrived on incense offerings. If Su Min cultivated it, the worship she received would nourish Buddhism in return. In this realm where he could not yet act freely, her rise would pave their way. Temples would rise in her name, and when the time came, Buddhism's spread would be as inevitable as spring following winter.
"One condition," the monk said gravely. "You must swear before the heavens—this sutra shall never be passed to another."
"Agreed," Su Min answered without hesitation. After all, it was the core secret of a sect.
"Then place your hand upon mine."
The monk extended his palm. Without pause, Su Min placed her hand upon his.
In that instant—The heavens spun. An ocean of knowledge flooded her mind. On her status panel, a new entry gleamed:
[Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra]
[Mental Techniques: 3/3]
"Huff—"
Su Min gasped, trembling, her temples pounding painfully.
"Amitābha," the monk said gently. "Though the Sutra is mighty, you must cultivate it step by step. Within lie not only foundational methods, but countless martial arts and hidden abilities. Those, Benefactor, you must uncover on your own."
"Understood," Su Min muttered, massaging her forehead. Her mind whirled still from the sheer magnitude of it all.
"By the way," she asked, "what of the villagers?"
"I have ferried them to Lingxi Prefecture," said the monk. "From this day onward, they shall live and die as ordinary humans, no longer bound by evil."